LGBTQ+ Representation in Movies Hits a Three-Year Low as New Report Reveals Major Decline
A new report from GLAAD shows that LGBTQ+ representation in major studio films has dropped for the third year in a row. The organization’s latest study found that fewer movies released by the biggest film distributors included LGBTQ+ characters compared with previous years.
The report, now called ‘Where We Are in Film’, looked at movies released between January 1 and December 31, 2025. According to GLAAD, the study examined films from 10 major distributors, including companies such as Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros., Universal, Paramount, Sony, A24, Lionsgate, Amazon, and Apple.
Out of 225 movies reviewed in the report, 46 films featured LGBTQ+ characters. That equals 20.4 percent of all releases. The number marks another decline from 2024, when 59 out of 250 films included LGBTQ+ representation, making up 23.6 percent of releases.
The drop continues a trend that began after 2023, which currently remains the strongest year for LGBTQ+ representation in the report’s history. In that year, 28.5 percent of major studio films included LGBTQ+ characters. The number of LGBTQ+ characters has also decreased, falling from 181 in the previous report to 112.
GLAAD also pointed out several areas where representation was especially limited. The organization found that none of the 19 animated or family films rated PG or below included LGBTQ+ characters. The report also stated that there were no transgender characters among the 225 films analyzed.
Representation for LGBTQ+ characters of color also saw a major decline. According to GLAAD’s findings, the number of these characters dropped by 36 percent compared with the previous year.
Another area affected was bisexual representation. Of the 46 films that included LGBTQ+ characters, only 10 featured bisexual characters. That number represents 22 percent of those films, down from 25 percent in the previous report.
Despite the overall decline, GLAAD noted that some genres continued to provide more opportunities for LGBTQ+ stories. The organization highlighted horror films as a positive area for representation, pointing to movies such as ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’, ‘The Parenting’, ‘Companions’, and ‘Weapons’.
The report also found that mid-budget movies, especially those with budgets between $15 million and $90 million, remain an important space for LGBTQ+ characters and stories.
GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis warned that studios could lose younger audiences if they continue reducing LGBTQ+ representation.
“If the industry doesn’t prioritize investing in films with LGBTQ characters, it risks losing a generation that will go elsewhere to find entertainment that does include our community,” Ellis said.
Megan Townsend, GLAAD’s senior director of entertainment research and analysis, also pointed to the importance of younger moviegoers. She explained that Gen Z represents a major part of the movie audience and includes a significant number of people who identify as LGBTQ+.
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“If studios want to stay relevant with younger audiences and bring in box office dollars, they can’t afford to ignore nearly one-quarter of their most enthusiastic ticket buyers,” Townsend said.
Along with changing the name of the report, GLAAD also updated how it measures representation. Instead of focusing mainly on screen time, the organization now looks at the importance of each character’s role in the story, placing them into categories such as lead, significant supporting, supporting, and background.
The latest findings highlight an ongoing debate about representation in Hollywood and how studios approach telling different kinds of stories. GLAAD says the full report provides a closer look at where LGBTQ+ characters appear in film and where more progress is still needed.
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